Surface condensing apparatus.



No. 791,963. PATENTED JUNE 6, 1905.

W. WEIR.

SURFACE GONDENSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22, 1904.

w 7W: J5 Mum/7.0K flak/7% Zr ,m' 4771: ENE/ Patented June 6, 1905.

PATENT OEEicE.

WILLIAM IVEIR, OF CATHOART, SCOTLAND.

SURFACE CONDENSING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 791,963, dated June 6,1905.

Application filed July 22, 1904. Serial No. 217,691.

To (LZZ whom it non/y cancer/r:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM W are, a subject of the King of GreatBritain and Ireland, and a resident of Cathcart, in the county ofRenfrew, Scotland, (whose postal address is I-Ioliu Foundry, Cathcart,Renfrewshire, Scotland,) have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Connection with Surface Condensing Apparatus, (for whichI have applied for a British patent, No. 22,708, dated October 21,1903,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object to attain in a more economical andefficient manner a high vacuum in surface condensers used in conjunctionwith marine or other steam-engines, but more particularly in conjunctionwith marine steam-turbines, wherein the maintenance of a high vacuum isnecessary to attain high efficiency and economy.

My invention is applicable to surface condensers of the ordinary marinetype, and in carrying out my invention there is connected to thecondensers a beam or other recognized type of independently-drivenair-pump to deal with the water of condensation and also with a portionof the air and attain thereby a moderate vacuum. This pump I term themain air or water pump. To the suction-passage of this pump there isattached a pipe or air vessel, with a connection to a supplementary ordry-air pump, the connection being made at such a level as will preventthis supplementary pump from drawing any water. This sumilcmentary or dry-air pump may be of any of the recognized types of dry-air pump andmay be fitted with either direct-injection or water-jacketed coolingarrangements. With this combination of air-pumps in connection with asurface condenser the withdrawal of the water and also a moderate vacuumare attained by the first pump, and with the addition of thesupplementary pump a high vacuum is attained in a more economical mannerthan has hitherto been possible.

In order that my invention and the manner of performing the same may beproperly understood, I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawingsto be hereinafter referred In carrying out the invention the surfacecondenser A employed is of the ordinary marine type, having an inlet Bfor the exhaust-steam from the engine in connection with which it isemployed and an outlet G for the water of condensation and air. Theoutlet 0 is connected by a pipe D with the suction branch F of a mainpump E, preferably independentlydriven by an engine E. This pump E dealswith the water of condensation and with a portion of the air, andthereby secures a moderate vacuum. It may be termed the main Water orair pump and may be of any suitable form. An air vessel G extends upfrom the inlet branch F of the main pump E, and the upper end of thisvessel is connected by a pipe H with a supplementary or dry-air pump J,the pipe connection being preferably at such a level as to prevent thesupplementary pump from drawing any water under normal workingconditions. The pump J may be of any of the known types of dry-air pumpfitted with a Water-cooled jacket connected by a pipe and valve R withany convenient source of watersupply, and it is arranged above thecylinder of a steam-engine K, the bucket of the airpump J being workedby a prolongation of the engine piston-rod L. The engine K may, asshown, be that used to drive a centrifugal circulating-pump M forcirculating the cooling-water through the condenser A, the waterentering the condenser at N and leaving it by' the outlet P, as usual.

When in operation, not only does the independently-driven main pump Edraw the condensed water and air from the condenser A and secure avacuum in the condenser, as usual, but the dry-air pump J also acts asan auxiliary or supplementary pump and withdraws a proportion of the airwhich would otherwise require to pass through the main pump E, and thiscombination, therefore, not only insures an increased vacuum in and moreefficient action of the condenser, but also admits of the main pump Ebeing of a smaller size than if it had to deal with the entire volume ofwater and air.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In surface condensingapparatus, incombination, a condenser, three separate and independent pumpscomprising a circulatingpump for the coolingwvater, a main water and airpump for the condensed vapors, adapted to maintain a partial vacuum inthe condenser, an air vessel on the suction side of the second pump, anda dry-air pump connected to the air vessel, and adapted to with draw aproportion of the air which would otherwise require to pass through saidsecond pump.

2. In surface condensing apparatus, in combination, a condenser, threeseparate and independent pumps comprising circulatingpump for thecooling-water, a main water and air pump for the condensed vapors, anair vessel on the suction side of said main pump, a supplementaryair-pump connected at its suction side to the air vessel at such a levelas to prevent the supplementary pump from drawing water of condensationand having a- WILLIAM VV-EIR.

W itnesses:

DAVID FERGUSON, WILFRED HUNT.

